


(i know this is delicate)

by ackermanx



Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: M/M, OC Parents - Freeform, Other Characters Are Mentioned, magical small town au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-04-05
Packaged: 2019-04-18 20:50:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14221557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermanx/pseuds/ackermanx
Summary: comm for Sancho!! quiet whale noises thank you so much for being patient with me@ intsys give us characters' last names please it would make literally everything easier I promise





	(i know this is delicate)

**Author's Note:**

> comm for Sancho!! quiet whale noises thank you so much for being patient with me
> 
> @ intsys give us characters' last names please it would make literally everything easier I promise

Scandal was relatively easy to come upon in the otherwise peaceful town of Ylisse. Scandal was the youngest daughter of the ruling noble family eloping with a surly merchant fae; it was the town's best healer taking up law on the side, unheard of for a woman.

It was the only son of one of Ylisse's noble mage families not exhibiting any potential for magic, not even when he was ten years old.

His parents did their best to conceal it - they were convinced that he was simply a late bloomer, and everything would work out in time. But then ten turned to eleven, eleven turned to twelve, and twelve turned to fourteen, and the parents of Ricken Wyndham decide that he needs a tutor.

They call an impromptu family meeting just to break the news, and both parents watch, nerves on edge, as Ricken droops almost comically over his pile of books.

"But - just a little longer, please?" he pouts. "I've almost figured it out - I can do small things now, see?"

Ricken flicks his wrist, sending a tongue of flames towards a stray paper. Then he realizes what he's done, widens his eyes in fear, and casually leans on the baby fire to smother it.

"I can do things," he repeats, though mostly for his own sake this time.

Eleanore smiles weakly, reaching out to grasp her son's hands in an attempted show of reassurance. "I know, darling, and I'm proud of you. But there's talk going around about how...well..."

 _How you're a bastard child. How our family is slipping in power_.

"How you might be, um, impaired," she finishes, even though she can feel how feeble the excuse is as it falls out of her mouth.

It seems to do the trick for Ricken, though, who immediately puffs up with injured pride. "I am  _not_!" he huffs. "Wait, so can I do anything about it? Or am I just...doomed forever? There's got to be something I can..."

Sensing an opening, his father jumps into the conversation. "That's exactly why your mother and I came up with the idea of you having a tutor. I know, you don't love the idea, but it's the fastest and easiest way; plus, you don't have to discuss this with anyone else if you don't want to."

Will sneaks a look at his wife to gauge whether or not he did the right thing, sighs in relief when Eleanore flashes him a thumbs-up, and turns back around to be greeted with Ricken's newly determined face.

"Okay!" Ricken nearly yells out of excitement. "I'll - I'll study with a tutor if I have to, but just those people wait, I'm going to be the best darn mage they've ever seen!"

Eleanore visibly relaxes, looking like a weight has just been lifted off of her shoulders, and Will's brows immediately unfurrow themselves. 

"You won't regret this, I promise!" Seemingly unaware of his parents' reactions, Ricken barrels on in his reassurances. "I mean, I know you guys suggested the idea in the first place, but I hope you aren't...I dunno, ashamed of me, or..."

" _Nothing_ could be further from the truth," Eleanore says firmly. "Besides, seeing as we did push this deal onto you, shouldn't we be the ones trying to comfort you?"

"I...oh, you're probably right, heh."

Ricken thinks that it's because he's opened his mouth to apologize again, but he can only blink owlishly as his parents practically trip over their own tongues to cut him off.

Will gets there first, surprisingly enough. He pushes a hand through his bangs and grins sheepishly. "We, uh, we have to sort out some of the details now so we can get you a teacher as soon as we can. There's not really anything that we need you to do right now; feel free to go back to doing whatever it was that you were working on. Me or your mother will call for you so you can make the final selection yourself, alright?"

Nodding over-enthusiastically, Ricken scoots his chair back with more force than intended and clutches his books a little closer to his chest. "Alright - ! I'll look forward to it!"

 

* * *

 

 

It doesn't take long for a list of potential tutors to be compiled. Emmeryn informs the family that, although she would love to offer Miriel's services, the highly-esteemed noble tutor is herself currently undergoing a research project. The talented but somewhat shady owner of the local potions shop outright refuses, citing "a rather...unfortunate history with children."

Which just leaves a few scattered scholars, a famous mage or two, and -

Ricken's fingers freeze in place, stopping their journey across the many profiles spread out before him to rest one that of a grinning white-haired man. There's nothing particularly special about the resume - there's close to nothing on the resume itself, if Ricken was being honest - but something about the man stands out from the others, compelling Ricken to  _choose me_.

_Is this what magic feels like?...Or am I just sleep-deprived?_

"...icken? Ricken? Are you alright?"

"H-huh?"

Startled, he has to blink several times to bring himself back to reality. He's faced with both of his parents looking at him worriedly, eyebrows raised and more on edge than usual. Ricken doesn't quite know what brought this on, but it makes him uncomfortable nonetheless and he smiles brightly.

"I'm fine! I was just thinking about...who to choose."

Eleanore perks up slightly at that. "Oh, alright. Well? Have you decided yet?"

"I think..."

Ricken's eyes drift back to the picture to his left; it belongs to one of the more acclaimed mages, and he knows that his parents would approve on the spot. Something, though - something draws him back to the paper that he's still clutching, and Ricken almost feels possessed as he extends his arm forwards to hand it to his parents.

"This one," he declares, still feeling slightly dazed.

Already, he can sense the hesitation in the air- Eleannore's eyebrows climb even higher up her face, Will silently begs Eleanore for help, and both steadily avoid meeting Ricken's eyes.

"I - this isn't anything personal, son - are you sure about this? There certainly are more qualified teacher than - " Will spares a glance at the page - "this Henry fellow."

Ricken has never been more sure of anything in his life.

"If you really want him, then...Eleanore, dear, what do you think?"

Eleanore's smile looks slightly strained, but she nods all the same. "I'll make the arrangements right away, then. We...well, we do support you, you know?"

Unsure of what sort of response would be best, Ricken simply smiles and nods.

"Of course, Mother! I love you, too."

 

* * *

 

 

Henry arrives in two weeks' time with little fanfare and even less recognition.

The servants are told to keep their eyes to the ground and their thoughts to themselves. Easier said than done - within two days of the mage's arrival, the rumor mill is in full swing. Ricken notices this faster than his parents do, and starts getting into the habit of interrupting any unsavory conversations that he overhears.

...Why is he so invested in protecting the reputation of someone that he hasn't even talked to yet? Ricken has no earthly idea.

His efforts don't seem to go unnoticed, though, because the first time that he sits down for a proper lesson, Henry beams and pats Ricken on the shoulder.

"Thanks!" he practically giggles. "You really are a nice kid, aren't you?"

"I...huh?"

"Aw, I hope you don't think I didn't notice! You're the one that's been defending me around the place, right?"

"...That would be me, I guess. It's nothing, really, anyone would have done the same in my place - "

"Hm...nah, that's the first time anyone's ever done something like that for me!"

Ricken - to say that Ricken doesn't know how to respond is an understatement. He wants to be sympathetic, even though he already knows he'll only sound young and naive - 

\- Well. It doesn't matter, anyway, because before Ricken can make up his mind to do anything, Henry's pulled out a book, flipped to the first page, and said "well! Shall we begin?"

And as much as Ricken had expected to be bored out of his mind, the moment that Henry starts the lesson, Ricken is absolutely captivated.

It's nothing special, really, just fundamentals of magic that Ricken could do in his sleep. But Henry - Henry makes things as simple as sigils and incantations seem like the stuff of wonder. He doesn't simply read from the book, as Ricken had guessed that he would; he draws things on paper (and, occasionally, in the air itself), speaks in simple words, and seems like he genuinely cares about Ricken's understanding of the subject.

When Henry finishes the lesson with a final flourish of his hand, Ricken has to blink himself back to reality. The nearly magical haze around them seems to lift, Ricken becomes aware of his surroundings once more -

He feels the same connection towards the boy in purple in front of him that he had felt seeing Henry's profile for the first time.

"How did it go?" Ricken's parents ask him anxious, foregoing the still-warm dinner in front of them in favor of an answer from their son. Ricken blinks at them, finishes chewing the mouthful of food that he had practically inhaled, and gives them the biggest grin that he can.

"It was perfect!" he answers with enthusiasm, immediately feeling warmth bubble within him at the memory of his lesson.

 _Really_ , Ricken thinks,  _this is_ _ridiculous._ If he didn't know any better, he would think that he was in love.

 

* * *

 

 

Obviously, Ricken doesn't know any better.

He's barely two weeks into his lessons, and so  _much_ has changed already. Now, Ricken's able to perform much more advanced magic than he initially could - the ability was within him the whole time, but it was just a matter of actually bringing it out (which, as Henry had pointed out multiple times, was simply not possible to do with decades-old authors and their dusty books).

Ricken's family was starting to get their old reputation back, as well. People stopped Eleanore and Will in the streets, curiosity getting the better of them as they inquired about Ricken's health, what was he getting up to these days,  _is it true that your son is a full-fledged mage_ _now?_

Henry had revealed more of his past; or, maybe it would be more accurate to say that Ricken had teased the information out of him, little by little. He was the son of two particularly powerful Plegian mages who, when they discovered that their child had an unusually high potential for magic, immediately tried to sacrifice Henry to please their god. He had gone to school - but schools in Plegia were vastly different from schools in Ylisse, and although Henry never elaborated on the details, Ricken thinks that he already knows enough.

When he had heard all this for the first time, Ricken had felt an unfamiliar twinge in his gut. He had chalked it up to pity, then, because it was the most reasonable answer, and he  _did_ feel bad for Henry.

Unfortunately, now he knows that it's not merely pity. Ricken cared for Henry, more than it was socially acceptable to.

Ricken was, without a doubt, in love with Henry.

Now that he has this information, he doesn't know what to do with it. Ricken can't help but become hyperaware of himself during his lessons with the other boy - is he standing too close? Are his palms sweaty? Does Henry even  _suspect_ anything?

"...? Hello? You still there?"

Henry's hands come fluttering in front of Ricken's face, and it takes every ounce of self control that Ricken has to not jerk backwards in his seat. "Wh - what? Did I do something wrong?"

"More like you weren't doing anything!"

Henry sits back into his usual position, grinning cross-legged on his chair. "You were spaced out, like,  _really_ spaced out. Something the matter? Or was that last spell too much for ya?"

"I'm fine!" Ricken says quickly, hoping against hope that his face isn't burning red. "I'm...yeah. I'm fine. Definitely! Don't worry about me!"

 _That_ earns him a raised eyebrow, but to his credit, Henry doesn't say anything.

"Uhhhh-huh. You seem pretty tired, anyway, let's stop here for today! See ya tomorrow, Ricken."

Ricken watches as Henry packs up his books and papers and prepares to leave. It's just like any other day, but...something doesn't sit right with him this time around, and his mouth is open before he can stop himself.

"Where do you go? I mean - I never see you around, but you've gotta go  _somewhere_ , right? It's um, it's not really my business, it's okay if you don't answer, I was just..."

He trails off, watching the surprise set into Henry's face, and finishes lamely with "I was just curious, is all."

Silence.

_Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut, next time -_

Henry bursts out laughing, tilting his chair back and squeezing his eyes shut. "Didn't I tell ya that you're a nice kid? But don't worry about little ol' me, I stay in my room all the time, anyway. Gotta work on some of my own stuff somehow!"

His eyes narrow to a half-lidded gaze, focusing all their intensity onto Ricken. Chills run down Ricken's spine as he's struck with the knowledge that Henry isn't much older than him, but he could destroy Ricken at any moment.

Ricken...isn't put off by this idea as much as he probably should be.

"Can I join you for dinner tomorrow?" he persists, charging forward and blindly hoping he won't be shut down. "I dunno, I don't really have a good reason, I just...want to."

"Aw, c'mon, if we had to have a reason for every single thing, I'd still be sitting at home, training to be a soldier! 'Course you can come over!"

"Oh! Th-thanks, um."

Grabbing his hat off of the table  _much_ too giddily, Ricken finally manages to stand up. "See you tomorrow, then?"

"Mhm! See ya, kiddo!"

 

* * *

 

 

The next day passes in a complete haze.

Thoughts of dinner keep Ricken effectively distracted through his duties, so much so that his parents can't help but take notice. Will even stops him in a hallway halfway through the day, worriedly asking if he was ill, to which Ricken had cheerfully answered in the negative.

...Maybe he had been a little too cheerful about it, given the looks that his parents were now throwing him across the dinner table, but. But that doesn't quite matter, because now it's time for his not-quite-a-date, something that will break the monotony of daily routine and that he'll enjoy -

He winces at the sound of his own chair scraping against hard tile, then composes himself and clears his throat.

"Mother? Father? May I be excused?"

Eleanor makes a noise out of surprise. "This is certainly new. If you don't mind me asking, what is it for?"

"Oh, I just thought I'd...go down to the library, see if I can find some more materials for my lessons..."

"I certainly won't say non to that, but..."

Exchanging pointed glances with Will, Eleanore gestures at Ricken. "Please sit, there's something that I wanted to discuss with you about your lessons."

Ricken can't quite explain the sudden pit in the bottom of his stomach. "Y-yes?"

"Tell me...what do you think about Henry?"

And... _there_ was the question that Ricken had been dreading. "I think that...he's nice. He's a good teacher, obviously, I've learned so much from him already. And he's easy to talk too, once you get past the sorta creepy part of him...he's a good person, really."

"Hm. Well..."

Eleanor sighs, leaning back in her chair. "I'm sorry about this, but we're going to have to ask him to leave."

"What?"

Stunned, RIcken sits down hard. "But...why? What am I going to do?"

"We're sure you'll make do somehow, you're talented enough already. Henry...he's been a bad influence, and we don't want all the townspeople to talk about you again, right when they've stopped. This is the best choice to make, trust me; we do love you very much."

Ricken - he feels angry, sad, desperate, all mixed together in one ugly feeling in his chest. He can't say anything more, can't risk exposing himself any more to parents who obviously already know more than he thought they did. 

So he simply smiles. And nods. And gets up once more, a plan already forming in his head.

"Of course, I understand. I love you too, Mother."

 

* * *

 

 

He bursts into Henry's room, not even thinking about whether or not he's being rude.

"Whoa, there!"

Henry's head pokes out from some obscure corner, disturbing a few papers along the way, and a hand appeared to wave at Ricken. "Man, if I'd known you were this eager, I would have invited you over a long time ago!"

 "I - " Ricken rushes over, trying to be careful about where his feet land, and grasps Henry's raised hand. "We have to leave, I'm so sorry about this, but - "

"Whoa, whoa! Slow down, buddy. Why are we leaving? What's going on?"

"My mother, she - oh, I'm so sorry, this isn't how I wanted to tell you, but I love you, I really do, and my parents found out and they're not happy about it and they're kicking you out so you have to leave and if you'll take me I'm coming with you -"

Ricken doubles over, still breathless from his run across half of the house, and slowly comes to realize that Henry isn't moving at all.

"Are you...okay?" he asks tentatively, raising his head the tiniest bit to see if Henry had fainted or not. "Like I said, I really am sorr - mmph!"

Now it's Ricken's turn to widen his eyes in surprise, temporarily unable to talk because Henry had dived down, clumsily fitting his lips to Ricken's before letting go...far too soon, in Ricken's humble opinion.

"What about dinner?" Henry proceeds to ask, sounding as if nothing had just happened.

Ricken looks around the room - looks at Henry - looks down at his own hands - laughs.

"I guess - I guess we'll have to figure that out along the way, won't we?"

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on twitter @axlotlols


End file.
